Choice Series 10: The Art of Crafty Planning
by shadowglove
Summary: Sequel to: Crossroad Blues. It's time for Sam to finally discover everything his family has been keeping from him, for Chloe to finally face the Groom she left, and for a crafty plan concocted by sneaky third parties to finally bare fruits.


**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville or Supernatural.**

**Sequel to: Crossroad Blues.**

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"No. I will _not_ calm down!" Chloe paced Dean's apartment, frazzled by everything that had occurred earlier. "Why didn't you tell me, Dean? Why didn't you mention something as important as Sam's transitioning to me?"

"For the same reason I haven't told him about me." Dean replied, returning from the kitchen with two cold beers, passing one to her. "Both you and Sam are going through important periods in your lives and don't need the distraction."

"Don't need the distraction?" She cried out, incredulous. "Thats just so, so," she collapsed on the sofa. "Reasonable."

"If I don't say so myself." Dean grinned, plopping down next to her, feet up on the coffee table in front of them, taking a hearty swallow of his drink.

"You didn't." She grumbled, taking a sip of her beer.

"Even better." He assured her with a cocky grin.

Chloe gazed down at her beer can, silent.

Dean made up his face. "You're not going to start crying or anything girlie like that, right?" Off the look she sent him he chuckled, relaxing once more. "So he almost took you by the side of the road, huh?"

"_Dean_!" She groaned, bringing a hand to her face in mortification.

"What? I'm recaping what _you_ told me." He declared as innocently as the devil himself could.

Chloe refused to answer, throwing her head back and gulping the whole thing down.

Dean watched her, and when she put down the empty can he offered her the rest of his own, which she happily accepted and downed just as impressively quick.

When she was finished, Chloe felt a little lightheaded yet much better as she curled up on Dean's sofa. "I forgot the food. The pie."

"Normally you'd be punished for forgetting the pie." Dean declared. "But I'll let you off this time with a warning."

"Ok." She nodded, buzzed and uncharacteristically docile.

He seemed a little disturbed by her doleful compliance, yet shook it off. "I wanted to talk to you tonight about the cuts we've been making to the different departments in Damnation."

She narrowed her eyes and sat up straighter. "Are you thinking about pulling the plug on more of them?"

"Not precisely." He replied, turning to face her as she grabbed her ever present notebook and pen. "But I want to amalgamate the Incubi, Succubi, and Siren departments into one since they're basically dealing with the same line of work."

Chloe quickly jotted this down.

"I'd also like to create a new department that oversees the descendants of some of my less fortunate brothers...the ones whose offspring with human women turned...deformed...or were not as perfect as my own did."

Chloe looked up at him in confused. "Huh?"

"You know, the skinwalkers, the shifters, the djinn...vampires are virtually _extinct_. My nieces and nephews have been left on their own too long, and now it's time to bring them back home." He continued on. "I also want to arrange a meeting with Oberon and Titania. I need to know if our alliance still stands."

"Wait, vampires and werewolves are related to demons? Are related to _each other_?" Chloe couldn't get over that, eyes wide. "You're saying they're the offspring of demons and women who...mutated? Went wrong? What exactly?"

"Not...wrong. They were unable to truly develop in the expected way as a fetus, and they came out unique, each starting a new race of their very own." Dean replied. "But yes, they are all related to demons. Cousins."

"Wow." Chloe shook her head, awed. "And what about Oberon and Titania? Are they the same fairies from Shakespeare's play? Do they actually _exist_?"

"Of course they do, they are the king and queen of the fairy court." Dean replied in utter seriousness, tilting his head slightly. "There's a play about them?"

"A Midnight's Summer Dream." She nodded. "It's a comedy."

"Is there a _movie_ about them?" Dean asked.

She smirked, agreeing that the thought of Dean in a theater watching a play was a little disturbing. "I'll rent it for you this weekend and since it's a romance I'll never breathe a word of you watching it to anyone."

"Why haven't you gotten a raise yet?" Dean wanted to know with a smirk, arms behind his head, stretched out happily.

"Because I don't get paid to _begin_ with?" She tried.

He chuckled, deeply amused. "Ouch."

"Oh, and I wanted to bring up the subject of Samhain, since it's only a few days away." Chloe declared, tapping her pen to the notebook. "Don't you just hate it when people pronounce it the way its spelt? Ignorance."

"Not everyone is as anal as you are." He replied, a little peeved, betraying the fact that Dean had probably pronounced it the way it was spelt while he was human.

Chloe's lips twitched. "I beg your pardon, oh Lord of Darkness."

He snorted at her. "I accept your apology, oh Despoiler of Crossroads."

"_Dean_." Chloe groaned, putting down her pen and notebook and going to the fridge to retrieve more beer, obviously in desperate need of it. "Let's never mention that incident again, shall we?"

"Of course." He nodded magnanimously, motioning for her to take her seat next to him once more as he accepted the beer she passed him. "Now, about _Samhain_..." and he made sure to pronounce it perfectly.

She grinned, taking a swig of her beer before continuing. "The morale has been somewhat low within the troops and I thought that we could do something this Samhain, something fun, something that would not only take advantage of their competitive nature, but give them some sort of reward for their efforts."

He raised an eyebrow. "Reward like how? 'Be Satan For A Day'?"

She shook her head. "No way in _hell_. I don't trust _anyone_ other than you in that job."

"Not even Sam?" Dean asked curiously.

She hesitated, gaze going to her notebook. "I don't know, it's not like I really know him anymore."

"Ouch." Dean leaned back hard against the sofa, head turning towards one of the bedrooms. "What do you think about that, Sam?"

Chloe froze, turning towards the darkened bedroom, eyes widening when the shadows shifted and Sam emerged.

"I think..." he declared, eyes narrowed, a muscle jumping in his cheek. "That there's still a lot I don't know."

"Beer?" Dean offered, motioning towards the fridge. "You might want to get one before Chloe drinks them all."

She tore her gaze off of Sam to send Dean a glare. He made it sound like she was some sort of drunk who always raided his fridge! Tonight was just because of extenuating circumstances!

Sam looked between them, eyes slightly tinted pink as he folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the arched doorway. "I think the _both_ of you have some explaining to do."

"Right." Dean nodded, leaning forwards in his seat. "I wanted to wait until you were fully transitioned to tell you, Sammy, you didn't need the distraction, but apparently Crowley wanted to have some fun at yours and Chloe's expense and has let the cat out of the bag."

Or the Lucifer out of the Box.

However you wanted to look at it.

"Sammy," Dean took in a deep breath as he stood. "I'm Lucifer."

Sam's eyes narrowed, confusion all over his face. "What?"

"It's really confusing, I know, but work with me." Dean tried. "When I was imprisoned by Father my son, Azazel, was able to save a piece of my soul and he kept it hidden and guarded until he found Mary Winchester. She had the gene which allowed our kind to mate with hers and procreate, and so when her son with John Winchester died in the womb he placed my soul in its body and gave it life again."

Sam was silent, obviously shocked and unable to speak.

Dean continued on. "I grew up with no memory of my life as Lucifer, and with no knowledge that my 'brother' was also my grandson, son of my son, Azazel with the same woman who was also my mother."

Chloe sighed, shaking her head at how increasing confusing this whole family matter kept getting.

"When did this change?" Sam finally spoke, running his hand over his head. "When did you...know?"

"There'd been many attempts to 'pick' the lock of my prison, but no one had been able to successfully retrieve the relics and such which would be needed until Chloe. It is thanks to her that the necessary ingredients were in place and the ritual a success, breaking the lock from my cage and allowing the rest of me to join with my soul and corporal anchor on this earth." Dean explained, sounding much more like Lucifer now than Dean. "So, to answer your question, it has not been that long since I have joined and become one." He took in a deep breath. "Chloe has since then become my right hand, helping me readjust to this world and the running of Damnation. She has been indispensable to the cause, and many of the accomplishments and improvements I've been able to do since I've become whole are thanks to her."

Chloe felt herself blushing in pride, a small smile on her face at the praise.

"This is a lot to take in." Sam frowned, shaking his head.

"I understand, I still falter sometimes." Chloe whispered, speaking to him for the first time since his appearance in Dean's apartment.

His gaze went to her.

She gulped, unable to look away.

"So," Dean smirked, looking between them. "Sammy, I hear you nearly screwed Chloe on your crossroads. Not very professional, don't you think?"

"_Dean_!" Chloe shrieked, red in the face, more horrified now than she had been during Dean's previous mentions.

"I'll admit that it wasn't well thought out." Sam replied, ignoring Chloe's interruption, chin raised, eyes defiant and trained on Dean. "But I've been denied my Bride too long and I reacted on instinct."

Her blush darkened as she turned to look at Sam. "I'm not your Bride anymore."

He scoffed at her.

She glared at him.

Dean looked between them, amused. "She's right, Sam, in our laws she's not yours anymore." He sat back down, raising his feet to rest them on the coffee table in front of him. "According to our laws you've lost all right to her and shouldn't even be allowed to be in the running for Future Groom." He shrugged. "In our society what you did was shame her, you'll only be allowed to vie for her Groomship if she accepts your suit."

"What?" Chloe frowned, turning to him. "I actually have a say in who fights for Groomship?"

"Haven't I already said that on numerous occasions?" Dean raised an eyebrow.

"You've never said that I could forbid someone specific from competing for me." Chloe declared. "Can it be anyone? No matter how high in the hierarchy he is?"

Dean turned slightly to look at her, intrigued. "There's someone you would wish to deny the right to compete?"

"There's a _lot_ of someones." She mumbled.

"You can not deny _everyone_, Chloe, and to do so you must have a very good and acceptable reason for why you are refusing him." Dean replied. "It could very well be contested by the contestant and that would cause the situation to go to a tribunal and you will need to be able to defend your reason for your decision."

"Great." She sighed, standing. "Do you need me for anything else, Dean? I need, uh, to go over what we discussed earlier."

He nodded. "Next time, bring pie."

She nodded dutifully. "Of course." Her gaze went to Sam. "See you later, Sam."

And then she spirited away, leaving her pen and notebook behind on the coffee table.

There was a moment's silence between the brothers.

Dean gazed down at his watch. "3...2..."

Sam erupted into shadows and followed her.

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Shadows gathered together somewhere in the outskirts of the city, forming Chloe as she took in a deep breath and brought a hand to her face. Green eyes closed tightly as she let out a little sob, trying to get control over the millions of emotions bombarding her. There had been too many things that'd happened tonight, too many revelations and emotions and she couldn't compute everything as quickly and rationally as she normally would. She also couldn't be with Sam, not for so long, not in such close quarters...not until she'd managed to accustom herself to the knew dynamics of their interactions and relationship. Or lack of relationship. Or, well...

Growling, she nearly tore at her hair, unable to believe how one night could have shifted her world and turned it upside down.

"Did you really think I wouldn't follow you?" A voice asked from the shadows as Sam emerged into the moonlight, eyes red. "Or were you expecting me to and _that's_ why you chose so isolated a place?"

She gasped and turned to face him, eyes wide, heart and pulse racing, not sure what exactly to do. "You're supposed to be with Dean."

"I figure he has all the time in the world to explain this situation better to me, and I can wait for those answers," Sam replied, eyeing her like a predator as he circled her in the meadow. "But I've waited too long for _this_ confrontation to be put off so easily."

Chloe gulped, raising her chin slightly, eyeing him warily. "What is there to talk about?"

He barked harsh laughter. "What is there _not_ to talk about?"

"Okay, _fine_." She turned to face him, unnerved to feel his presence linger behind her without moving. "What do you want to talk about?"

He eyed her, frowning. "Why are they black?"

"What?" Chloe made a face.

"Your eyes." He replied. "They were always gold. Why are they black now?"

She raised her hand to her eyes, realizing they'd bled black without her even realizing. "I-I don't know." She was a little disoriented by the unexpected question. "Since I left you they've been this color. I'm guessing it's because I've finally settled into what I'm supposed to be. I don't know for sure."

"I don't like them." He declared pointblank. "I liked the gold better."

"Take it up with Dean." She snorted. "If there's anyone who'd understand what's going on it'd be him."

"And you never thought to ask him yourself?" Sam sneered, eyebrow raised as he took a menacing step towards her. "You two have obviously grown close."

"There is _nothing_ between us." She snapped at him, annoyed at everyone questioning that, standing firm as he stalked towards her.

"Of course not." He grinned down at her in a self-assured way as he caressed her hair. "You're _my_ Bride, and you know that."

She opened her mouth to contradict him, to try and protect herself because losing him once had nearly been her destruction and if she lost him in this competition for her hand in marriage and had to take another Groom she'd _die_...but before Chloe could even speak Sam's eyes went blood red as he pulled her to him. His mouth found hers and his kiss hurt with its intensity, teeth clashing. Chloe struggled against him as his arms tightened around her, imprisoning her. He growled into her mouth, scolding her for her resistance, and Chloe cried out as the vibrations from his voice entering her went straight to her rapidly moistening core.

The hands that'd been pounding at his chest grabbed purchase on his red leather jacket as her knees seemed to buckle under her, her half-hearted resistance quickly fading into whimpers as she pulled him closer and opened her mouth to his kiss.

"_I've missed you._" He breathed between each deep, claiming kiss, arms not restraining anymore yet keeping her anchored to him as he walked her back against a tree, the moonlight filtered through the leaves upon them. "_I've needed you so badly_."

"_I've missed you so much_." Chloe whimpered, her hands trailing up his chest and to grab purchase and pull him closer as she arched into him, rubbing against the hardness pressed against her stomach.

He throbbed against her, and she cried as her body responded to the call, a drop of moisture sliding down the inside of her thigh.

Sam tore his lips from hers and sniffed the air, eyes rolling in the back of his head in desire as he lowered to his knees. His hands on her hips, he pressed a slow kiss to over the material of her skirt, before lowering, catching the trail of her desire with his tongue, following it up slowly towards its source.

"_Sam_!" Chloe cried even as she parted her thighs more to give him easier access.

"Why aren't you wearing underwear?" He hissed, nibbling high on her inner thigh. "Where the _fuck_ is your underwear?"

She remembered his brief second of anger at the crossroads when he'd discovered that she wasn't wearing anything beneath her skirt, but he'd gotten distracted.

Sam didn't wait for an answer, his mouth finding her core and his tongue breached her.

"_Sam_!" Chloe screamed, feeling frantic wanting to touch him, grab his hair, but he was under her skirt and... "Oh...Sam...! I...! Fuck! Baby!"

He massaged her thighs as he fucked her with his tongue, curving it within her, raking at her juices. He chuckled quite evilly, the sound adding vibrations and nearly driving her insane.

"Please! Sam! _Please_!" She begged, lips parting as he found her clit and sucked, _hard_, causing her to throw her head back and scream as she tried to grab purchase on the tree behind her.

She was so close...so close!

Above them, the night sky began to tint blood red, the color spreading rapidly and evenly.

Sam tore away and stood, freeing himself.

"We really...shouldn't be..." Chloe tried to think rationally. "Lilith said..."

"I don't give a _fuck_ what Miss Hello Kitty had to say." Sam whispered fiercely as he raised her up and aligned himself with her before thrusting deeply, filling her to the hilt with his hardness. "I love you."

Chloe cried out as he filled her, her eyes closing as she wrapped her legs around him, tears making their way down her cheeks. "_I love you too_. _I never stopped_."

"And you never will." He whispered possessively against her lips as he began moving within her, his voice low and gravelly, sinfully seductive. "Because you're _mine_."

"_Yours_." She whispered urgently, moving her hips, locking her arms around his neck and kissing him desperately. "Always yours."

"Always mine." He agreed, thrusting deep into her womb, claiming her for his own once more and marking her body from the inside.

Above them, in the crimson sky, stars began to fall.

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"Aha! Look at that!" Dean grinned as he gazed at the blood sky and the stars falling from the heavens, a sure sign of heavens displeasure. "Now, what did I tell you? That was _exactly_ the push they needed. With the first, interrupted Attempt he unknowingly forced the completion of the transition on himself, and now as a full-demon he can claim her without having to worry about a stronger demon killing him for his Bride while he was in transition."

Stepping from the shadows, sipping a cup of his poison of choice, Crowley smirked. "The Marriage has been consummated. _Finally_."

"I think we did well." Lilith agreed, sitting on the edge of the sofa's armrest and drinking some wine. "The whole thing played out as we'd hoped.

"You have followed your orders perfectly." Dean turned to them with a smile. "The Crossroads Division won't be touched by the changes in Damnation." He turned to Lilith. "You've made me proud."

She glowed with happiness.

"Always willing to serve." Crowley replied, raising his glass in a salute. "Now that those two have finally consummated the marriage and their demons are bonded, the others won't be too happy, especially Belial. Your son truly did take a liking to her."

Lilith threw her head back and finished the wine before jumping to the ground and joining their side on the balcony.

"Considering that she's the only demoness left un-married, everyone already knows what'd happened." Dean pointed to the stars, which seemed to be falling by the thousands. "Not much they can do now but pout. And Belial...he always knew she was Sam's. He'll get over it."

"Even if we have to kick him a little." Lilith agreed.

"If you say so." Crowley finished his drink before making a face. "So, unto the next order of business. I've found the cousins."

Dean turned to the demon and smirked. "You can begin then."

Sharing the smirk, Crowley vanished in an eruption of shadows.

Lilith shook her head as she gazed at the sky. "Heaven sure is pissed."

"Isn't it always?" Dean returned his gaze to the falling stars and chuckled, raising his can of beer in congratulations to his little brother, before throwing his head back and drinking.

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